In 1977, Texas created the Sunset Advisory Commission (SAC) to make government more efficient. As part of this process, each state agency has a sunset date, or a date whereby they are automatically “sunsetted” unless extended by the Texas Legislature. This was designed to eliminate unnecessary or outdated regulatory bodies, and streamlining regulatory processes.
Local Government
When Government Lobbies Itself: Why Texas Should Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
Texas local governments use taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists to influence state legislation—creating conflicts of interest, distorting democratic accountability, and undermining the interests of Texas taxpayers. Key points: Taxpayer-funded lobbying expenditures more than doubled from the 85th to the 89th Legislature, now reaching as high as $111.5 million. Taxpayer-funded lobbyists consistently opposed legislation involving property...
April 6, 2026